Silicon Chip Propels 6G Communications Forward

Silicon chip propels 6G communications forward
Operation schematic of the proposed all-silicon terahertz integrated polarization (de)multiplexer. Credit: Dr. Weijie Gao / Osaka University

A team of scientists has unlocked the potential of 6G communications with a new polarization multiplexer. Terahertz communications represent the next frontier in wireless technology, promising data transmission rates far exceeding current systems.

By operating at terahertz frequencies, these systems can support unprecedented bandwidth, enabling ultra-fast wireless communication and data transfer. However, one of the significant challenges in terahertz communications is effectively managing and utilizing the available spectrum.

The team has developed the first ultra-wideband integrated terahertz polarization (de)multiplexer implemented on a s...

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University of Florida Professor to Fly Blue Origin New Shepard on Mission for NASA

Earth
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

University of Florida horticulture science professor Rob Ferl is going where some men have gone before, including William Shatner and Jeff Bezos, but he’s bringing along some experimental plant life for NASA.

Ferl, a researcher within UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, is also the director of UF’s new Astraeus Space Institute. He is joining five other people on the launch of Blue Origin’s suborbital New Shepard rocket today for what will be its eighth human spaceflight. Dubbed NS-26, the capsule is set for liftoff as early as 9:00 a.m. EDT from Blue Origin’s West Texas launch facility.

Along for the ride will be a species of plant called Arabidopsis thaliana. Ferl will be looking at how its genes adapt on the way to space.

“Space is a c...

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Research cracks the Autism Code, making the Neurodivergent Brain Visible

UVA professor Gustavo Rohde’s technique uses mathematical equations to extract mass transport information from medical images, creating new images for visualization and further analysis. (Rohde Lab, UVA Engineering)

Model grounded in biology reveals the tissue structures linked to the disorder. A researcher’s mathematical modeling approach for brain imaging analysis reveals links between genes, brain structure and autism.

A multi-university research team co-led by University of Virginia engineering professor Gustavo K. Rohde has developed a system that can spot genetic markers of autism in brain images with 89 to 95% accuracy.

Their findings suggest doctors may one day see, classify and treat autism and related neurological conditions with this method, without having to rely on...

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How much Microplastic are you Drinking? New tool can tell you in Minutes

Micro- and nanoplastics fluorescing under the microscope.
Micro- and nanoplastics particles under the microscope. Photo credit: Peter Yang.

Low-cost, portable tool accurately measures plastic released from everyday sources like disposable cups and water bottles. Micro- and nanoplastics are in our food, water and the air we breathe. They are showing up in our bodies, from testicles to brain matter.

Now, University of British Columbia researchers have developed a low-cost, portable tool to accurately measure plastic released from everyday sources like disposable cups and water bottles.

The device, paired with an app, uses fluorescent labeling to detect plastic particles ranging from 50 nanometres to 10 microns in size — too small to be detected by the naked eye — and delivers results in minutes.

The method and findings are detailed in ...

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